The Birth of a New Album

It’s a peculiar thing, writing an album… There are so many ways to go about it, really.

In the past, I’ve just written whenever I was inspired to write, and about whatever love or heartbreak or experience that was striking most in that moment. This time is a little different, though.

This time, I’m not single (or, time-wise, practically so). This time I don’t have a schedule completely of my own choosing. This time I’ve got children at home (who don’t nap… ever…), and a fairly limited amount of time each day to work on new projects.

I can’t just shut myself in an empty room and drink whiskey and write anymore…

Or beer… that works, too…

And that’s just fine, really.

Maybe all the responsibilities will add a level of maturity to my writing, and a touch of polish to the music.

I don’t have the luxury of working uninterrupted anymore. (For example, between writing the last two sentences was at least two trips through the house to see what my children are doing, as well as the youngest asking me about five questions… She’s also, apparently, now a kitty.)

I’m learning how to schedule my studio time, between all the internet portions of being a musician (fanpages, writing articles like this one, looking for new venues to play, checking emails, responding to friends and fans, etc, etc), all the practice needs of a musician (scales, scales, scales), actually writing the songs, and then getting them into a format someone can listen to (and hopefully, enjoy).

Intersperse all that with calls from wife, schools (he did what now?), venues, wrong numbers (apparently, I’m also a photographer in Texas), telemarketers (seriously… phones need spam filters…), people from old business ventures (no, I don’t really do web design/sell Kirbys/paint houses anymore, here’s someone who does), and you’ll understand why I never answer my phone if you’ve called me lately.

It’s probably on silent!

Is that my phone, or something one of my children is doing?

But I don’t think I’d really have it any other way. (Well… maybe… Muscle Shoals, if you’re reading this and would like to have me down for a month, I’m in…)

I’m noticing that this album, that I’m calling “The Optimist’s Club”, is growing into something greater than I’d anticipated.

It’s growing into the album I want to hear, a whole album. It’s growing into a full-length composition that just happens to be made of different songs.

It’s got something to say, something more than just sappy love songs.

It’s about life, and real emotions. It’s about depression, and sorrow, and happiness, and all those things that makes a life what it is.

“The Optimist’s Club” is trying to grow up…

I just hope I’m a good enough parent to give it enough room to be great.